Private Internet service providers in India could have their own Internet gateways sooner than expected.

An application format for owning a gateway is being prepared and will be published in the next 45 days, claimed Dewang Mehta, member of the National Task Force for Information Technology and Software Development. He is also the president of the National Association of Software and Service Companies.

As of now, only a few government agencies can provide and Internet gateway to a private ISPs. The most prominent among these is the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.

Private ISPs have been insisting that they be allowed to set up their own gateways because it is only then that they can assure quality of service. Otherwise, much would depend on the service of the gateway they are forced to rent.

Though, the government had agreed to this in principle, it had not spelled out the procedure for application. Several national security concerns too had to be addressed in this regard.

At the inauguration of the new software development facility of TCS in Madras, Mehta told reporters that draft cyber laws are expected to be presented in Parliament during the current session.

These laws would mainly deal with the security of software. He expected a crackdown on pirated software in the next few months.

He said the country's software export this year is expected to be about Rs 110 billion.